FATHER

Unknown                                          

MOTHER

Unknown

WIFE

Eleanor Bigler

CHILDREN

1. Eleanor Harbaugh
    b. 1 Oct 1826
    d. "young"

2. David Harbaugh
    b. 1 Oct 1826
    m. 16 Feb 1848 to Phebe Cade
    d. 20 Feb 1867 (age 40 years)

3. James Harbaugh
     b. 14 Mar 1829
    m. 18 Oct 1851 to Nancy Emerson
    d. 19 Apr 1859 (age 30 years)

4. Thomas Harbaugh
    b. 5 Jan 1831
    m. 10 Feb 1851 to Mary Farren

5. Joseph Harbaugh
     b. 22 Aug 1833
    m. 25 Dec 1858 to Hannah Tague
    d. 5 Feb 1872 (age 38 years)

6. Josiah Harbaugh
     b. 22 Aug 1833
    m. 19 Oct 1858 to Caroline America Orrill
    d. 23 Dec 1862 (age 29 years)

7. John B. Harbaugh
     b. 3 Nov 1835
    m. Abt. 1857 Mary Elizabeth McCullough
    d. 22 Dec 1858 (age 23)

8. Martha Harbaugh
    b.  6 Dec 1837
    d. 21 Feb 1860 (age 22 years)

9.  Ellen (Elvira) Harbaugh
     b. 30 Mar 1840
    d. 7 Apr 1859 (age 19 years)

10.  Mary Frances Harbaugh
     b. Abt. 1843
    m. 27 Apr 1859 to Robert Ramsey
    d. 20 Sep 1863 (age 20 years)

11. "Hoboy's child"
     b. Abt. 1850
    d. 31 Jul 1854

12. Rosanna P Harbaugh
     b. 17 July 1851
    m. 21 Sep 1867 to Archibald Pink
    d. 6 Feb 1882 (age 31 years)

Jacob Harbaugh
by Susan Brooke
Nov 2018 

Jacob Harbaugh was born in 1794 in Pennsylvania (1) and came to Madison, Indiana in 1818 when he was about twenty-four. (2)  However, he is not listed in the 1820 census for Jefferson County, so he may have been living with some other family. (3)
He was a carpenter according to the bible record and the 1850 census, and by 1850 he was worth $1,200 so he was doing pretty well. (4) He had purchased several acres of land. (5) In addition he and his sons were also involved in farming.  (6)
Jacob married Eleanor Bigler April 18, 1826 and together they had at least twelve children. (7) Eleven of them are accounted for in various records, and an additional child must have been born sometime between the birth of Mary and Rosanna.  Vail's Undertaker records refer to this child as "Hoboy's Child" and although this child died in 1854, there is no record of the child in the 1850 census. (8) Jacob was fifty-seven when his last child was born. Eleanor was at least forty-four, and as noted above Jacob had a nickname of Jake Hoboy.  We know this because of an article written by James Lewis whose father moved to Madison in the fall of 1815.  He writes that in 1824 Abram Wilson's smith shop burned down and fellow mechanics turned out to rebuild his shop.  One of the men was Jacob Harbaugh who passed for the name of Jake Hoboy. (9)
Three of his sons were listed in the militia enrollment of 1862 for Madison, Indiana.  Josiah was 29, a carpenter and an invalid; Thomas was 31, no occupation listed; Joseph was 29, a caulker with consumption.
Madison was a thriving city during this period. Sawmills, textile mills, linseed and castor oil mills, foundries, tobacco and cigar manufacturers, breweries, shipyards and packing houses were all booming.  Being right on the Ohio River, Madison was an important transportation link to the rest of the country.  The city was also rife with communicable diseases.  Between 1854 and 1872, an eighteen year period, Jacob and nine of his children and some of his grandchildren all died, probably of consumption. (10)  The oldest daughter, a twin of David, had died young probably in the 1820's and the youngest daughter, Rosanna, died in 1882 at the age of 31 followed by the death of all three of her daughters, of consumption.  From December 1858 through March 1860, a fifteen month period, five members of the family died.  (11) Jacob Harbaugh died 21 Mar 1860, just three weeks after the death of their daughter Martha. (12)
Jacob's wife, Eleanor Bigler Harbaugh, miraculously outlived them all, living well into her 80's and dying of "old age." According to the obituary on Ellen Bigler Harbaugh) only four grandchildren outlived Ellen Bigler Harbaugh. There may have been a few more.

Sources

(1) According to the Harbaugh History by Cora Bell Harbaugh, a family bible was presented by Margaret Wells (Jacob's granddaughter) giving Jacob Harbaugh 's date of birth as 1794 in PA and this does fit in with the census records.  This bible was presented to the author by Margaret Wells of Madison, IN, granddaughter of Joseph Harbaugh

(2) When he joined the Pioneers of Madison, later in his life, he claimed he had come to Madison, Indiana in 1818.  Madison Daily Banner Feb 9, 1852 and Madison Weekly Courier Dec 5, 1866.
"We publish below, a list of the names of the old citizens, which were given in at the first meeting that was held at the Mayor's office for the purpose of forming a society.  some errors have doubtless occurred respecting the time when individuals came to Madison, in dates, etc.  Such cases may be corrected by calling on the committee of arrangements, or John H. Taylor or D Blackburn, Jr.  Others can also become members of the society by calling on those persons and leaving their names:
Persons Present January 12, 1852
Jacob Harbaugh       1818

(3) In the Jefferson County 1820 census a David Wilson had several men living with him.  In 1824, Jacob Harbaugh helped an Abram Wilson to rebuild his smith shop.  His father-in-law, David Bigler was living next to a Jacob Wilson in 1820.  And in 1830 Jacob Harbaugh was living next to James Wilson.  David Wilson born 1794 in Ireland was a carpenter as was Jacob Harbaugh.  A Milton Stapp also had extra adult men living with him in 1820.

(4) 1850 census Madison, Jefferson, Indiana
Jacob Harbaugh  56, Carpenter, real estate worth $1,200   born Penn
Helen Harbaugh 40 born in NY
James Harbaugh 22 Carpenter
Thomas Harbaugh 18 Carpenter
Joseph Harbaugh 17 Carpenter
Josiah Harbaugh  occumation  "none"
John Harbaugh  14
Martha Harbaugh 13
Ellen Harbaugh  10
Merry Harbaugh  7

(5) Land purchases in Jefferson County, IN

1836 Feb 29
Deed BK K 360 Samuel and Nelly Dugan to Jacob Harbaugh for $450, 80 acres of land.

1836 Sep 9
BK L 443 John and Ann sheets to Jacob Harbaugh for $600. lots 13 and 14 etc. Sons later relinquished rights to this land. (Thomas Harbaugh BK 18 pg 134) (Josiah Habaugh BK 20 pg 326)

1837 Sep 12
BK O pg 8 William and Mary Turley to Jacob Harbaugh for $610. Being the same piece conveyed (by?) mistake by Harbaugh by deed of general warrant dated Sep 9, 183?

1844 Mar 8
family search film #1310276  Deed BK W page 104-5
Jacob and Eleanor are selling 1 acre for $1.00 for the benefit of Ann Cummins, wife of David Cummins. David Cummins married Ann D Richardson Jul 20, 1841. David Cummins died Aug 3, 1844. Deed recorded Oct 1844. Oliver Pitcher was a lawyer in 1850 census.

(6) In the 1840 census there are "4 people engaged in agriculture."    

(7) Marriage of Jacob Harbaugh to Eleanor Bigler
Married: 18 Apr 1826
Jacob Harbaugh and Ellen Beigler

    

(8) Vails Undertaker records  familysearch film 849929
      Pg 24.  Image 648 Hoboy's child July 31, 1854
     Pg 41   Image 665 ____Harbaugh Jan 22, 1862
     Pg 45   Image 669   Josiah Harbaugh Dec 24, 1862
     Pg 51   Image 615  Joseph Harbaugh's child  Feb 2, 1864
     Pg 52   Image 676  Jos. Harbaugh  April 4, 1864
     Pg 87                        John Harbaugh  Dec 23, 1858
     Pg 89                        Miss Elenora (Elvira) Harbaugh April 1, 1859
                                       James Harbaugh April 20, 1859
     Pg 92  Image 716   Miss Harbaugh  Feb 24, 1860
     Pg 93  Image 717  Jacob Harbaugh March 3, 1860 

(9) Pioneers of Jefferson county by James B Lewis from Indiana Magazine of History V 12, #3
http://www.ahgp.org/in/reminiscences-of-jefferson-county.html

"In 1824, Abram Wilson's smith shop, on the ground where Wesley Chapel now stands, was burned down.  His brother mechanics turned out to rebuilt his shop.  They went up the river bank where the Mammoth Cave pork house now stands and were cutting down and hewing the cottonwood trees into logs for the purpose of rebuilding said shop.  This was trespassing on John McIntyre's land.  (it was under the high bank).  McIntyre went around asking them their names.  One of them was Jacob Harbaugh, but passed under the name of Jake Hoboy.  McIntyre went around asking the men "What's Jake Hoboy's first name?"

(10) The Role of Jefferson County, Indiana in the Civil War by George M Young, speaks of the booming economy.

The noted deaths were:

(11) Deaths within a 15 month period

John Harbaugh died 22 Dec 1858 at the age of 23
Ellen Harbaugh died 7 Apr 1859 at the age of 19
James Harbaugh died 10 Apr 1859 at the age of 30
Martha Harbaugh died 21 Feb 1860 at the age of 22
their father, Jacob Harbaugh, died 21 March 1860

(12) Death of Jacob Harbaugh

Daily Evening Courier  Madison, Indiana  Thursday Evening March 22, 1860  "DIED  March 21st, JACOB HARBAUGH, aged 67 years.  Mr. Harbaugh was one of the early settlers of the city."

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